Patent GB-856138-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to remote control systems for rotary shafts
IPC: F04B39/06
Filed: 1956-06-28
Abstract: 856,138. Electric correspondence control systems. COLE Ltd., E. K., and COPPIN, K. J. June 26, 1957 [June 28, 1956], No. 19994/56. Class 40 (1). The invention relates to remote control systems in which a shaft is rotated into a predetermined position by an electrically-reversible prime mover operated by a centre-stable polarized relay forming the detector arm of a Wheatstone bridge, the " slave " arms of which are formed by a potentiometer having a travelling contact rotated with the shaft and provides means for rotating this contact at low speed when the balance condition of the bridge is being approached, reversible mechanical counting means to count the revolution of the contact, pre-settable means to determine both the direction of rotation of the contact and to determine within which revolution thereof bridge balance is to be achieved and means for ensuring correct operation when the balance condition requires the contact to stop within a small arc covering the potentiometer terminals. In the embodiment described three Wheatstone bridges are employed viz. " master " potentiometers RV3A, RV1A and RV2A in the remote control unit and slave potentiometers RV3, RV1 and RV2 in the drive unit respectively, the detector arm being provided by a centrestable polarized relay PA connected sequentially into each bridge. The position of the shaft D is selected by adjustment of the pre-setttable master potentiometer RU3A (units) and RV1A (tenths) and by selection of the appropriate balance condition of the basic " hundredths " bridge RV2A, RV2 by means of the tap on potentiometer RV2A. The shaft D and the travelling contact of potentiometer RV2 are driven by a reversible motor M controlled in either direction by contacts FR2, RR2 of relays FR, RR, through a two-speed gear-box 2-SGB, a 10 : 1 reduction gear being used to couple the shaft D to the travelling contact. The shaft of potentiometer RV2 carries a striker S operating, once per revolution, a ten-tooth impulse wheel IW, thereby moving the travelling contact of RV1 by one step. A striker on shaft D engages an impulse wheel of potentiometer RV3 shaft rotating its travelling contact by one step for each revolution of the shaft. The impulse wheels may be fitted with revolution indicating dials and constitute reversible mechanical counters. On closing the switch S1 and operating press-button PB1, current flows to operate the unit indicator lamp LP1 and the " units " relay VA and, by contact VA1, the " tenths " relay TA. The operation of these relays, by contacts TA2 and UA2 places coil a of the relay PA into the detector arm of the bridge formed by potentiometer RV3A, RV3 and if the shaft is not in the position determined by the tapping of potentiometer RV3A current will flow in such a direction through coil a as to operate the relay PA to close either its " forward " or "reverse" contact F or R to operate either the forward or reverse relay FR, RR, thereby passing holding current to relay VA and lamp LP1 via contacts FR1 or RR1 and switching on, via contacts FR2 or RR2 appropriate driving current to the motor M. The shaft D is then driven by the motor M and rotates the contact of potentiometer RV3 until it reaches the position corresponding to that of potentiometer RV3A at which point the bridge is balanced, current ceases to flow through coil a and relays PA, VA are de-energized. A delay circuit R, C prevents de-energization of relay TA so that coil b of relay PA is inserted in the detector arm of the " tenths " bridge via conteats TA3, UA/3 and TA/4. The travelling contact of potentiometer RV1 will be at " O " position and if a different setting is called for the relay PA with either relay FT or RR will again establish the appropriate driving circuit to rotate the shaft D until this bridge balances, relay TA and " tenths " lamp LP2 being supplied with current via contacts FR1 1 or RR1 and TA1. At balance relay TA and lamp LP2 are de-energized and both coils a, b of the relay PA are inserted into the " hundredths " bridge via contacts TA2, UA2, TA3, TA/4 all " released." At this point spring sets S2, S3 are closed and the travelling contact of potentiometer RV2 some 5 to 10 degrees, because of overdrive, from its zero position. Relay PA will therefore operate to drive the shaft D to its final balance position, a relay LSC putting the gear-box into low speed for the final drive, being operated, together with the " hundredths " lamp LP3, via contacts TA1 (released) and FR1 or RR1. At final balance all contacts are released and " Set " lamps LP4 in the remote control unit and LP5 in the drive unit are operated via contacts RR3 and FR3. Braking of the motor M is achieved by the short circuit established by contacts FR2, RR2. In order to ensure reversal in the unbalance current in the event of overshoot at " hundredths " settings of " 0 " or " 10 " spring sets S2, S3 are arranged to be opened by a pad P on the travelling contact of the potentiometer RV2 when these settings are reached from either direction. The effect of opening the spring sets is to apply the potential of the end 10 (S2) or end 0 (S3) to the whole of the potentiometer thereby ensuring drive reversal. As the contacts are of the " make-before-break " type, resistors are inserted between the " 0 " and " 9 " terminals and the high potential end of the supply, to avoid premature bridge balance at these settings. The tapping points of the potentiometers RV1, RV3 are so arranged that the travelling contact short-circuits same pair whenever that of RV1 is located between 0 and 9 and that of RV2 has opened S2 or S3 so that no bridge can balance while the resistance element of the potentiometer of the succeeding bridge is temporarily short-circuited. In a modification the circuit is arranged so that, regardless of initial conditions, the travelling contact of the " hundredths " potentiometer RV2 can -only come to rest from the anticlockwise position to overcome backlash errors, and in a further modification sufficient overshoot is provided in the case of an approach from the reverse direction to ensure that is large enough for all backlash to be taken up on the return. Instead of a two-speed gearbox, separate high and low-speed motors may be provided. In the system shown a trial position of the shaft may be established manually and the readings on the dial indicators noted and used in the pre-settable tappings. Specification 761,978 is referred to.